Spectre of exclusion
Sridhar Seetharaman
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Analyses the dimensions of deprivation in Uttar Pradesh amidst no sign of a let-up
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DEPRIVATION AND INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT: Edited by D.M. Diwakar and G.P.Mishra; Pub. by Giri Institute of Development Studies in association with Manak Publications, B- 7, Saraswati Complex, Subhash Chowk, Laxmi Nagar, New Delhi- 100092. Rs.975.
Every society passes through activities like production, consumption, distribution and exchange, and predominance of one over any other signifies the level of development. However, when the requirements of distribution does not take care of the production process, deprivation of the people, particularly of the weaker sections, occurs in every society, especially in States like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (BIMARU States).
Indian experience
The Indian experience in rural development brought out convincingly that the trickle down hypothesis did not produce the desired results, and the former World Bank President, Robert McNamara's prescription of target-oriented programmes for poverty alleviation could achieve only marginal success, and that liberalisation has by and large bypassed the poor. These findings pointed to the challenges that lay ahead and paved the way for inclusive development or an approach of `development from inside' through `effective partnership of people', which in India, has emerged through the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution. It is against this background that the Giri Institute of Development Studies (GIDS), Lucknow, with partial financial support from the Indian Council of Social Sciences Research (ICSSR), New Delhi organised a three-day national seminar on `Deprivation and Inclusive Development : Options and Strategies for Uttar Pradesh', which focussed on the need for a welfare approach for inclusive development.
The political economy of deprivation inherent in the growth process in Uttar Pradesh is analysed through 27 chapters grouped into six parts: Deprivation — Concept, Perspectives and Dimensions, Growth, Employment and Deprivation Linkages, Economic Deprivation, Policies and Programmes, Resource Mobilisation, Institutional finance and Rural Development, Gender Empowerment and Challenges, and Globalisation, Market and Deprivation.
Together, the chapters address the identified gaps, required initiatives for empowerment for a just and inclusive pattern of development besides covering issues related to the rate and pattern of economic growth and suggesting measures for attaining sector growth targets.
The various contributions highlight that casualisation of labour in agriculture has been steadily increasing over time reflecting the deteriorating quality in employment. The manufacturing sector is far behind the targets of development and is hardly able to attract the workers from the primary sector in order to reduce the burden of labour force in agriculture. In such an emerging scenario, there are minimal chances in the tertiary sector activities spurring economic growth and accelerating development. With the advent of the liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation (LPG) era, there has been further dampening results in addressing the challenges posed by the spectre of deprivation in all its forms and manifestations. Gradual penetration of the market has aggravated poverty, accentuated misery and increased unemployment. Markets operate in an environment of imperfect competition necessitating state interventions through the establishment of Gram Sabhas, which could ultimately lead to a concept of inclusive development mentioned in our Vedic literature.
Issues
The scholarly contributions have analysed the various issues of deprivation with deteriorating employment, increasing revenue and fiscal deficits amidst slow pace of growth along with declining public investment. In a labour surplus economy, agriculture led growth following the William Arthur Lewis model of economic development with `unlimited supply of labour' would help in reaching out to the `daridra narayan' and enable us to wipe out every tear in their eyes.
The dangers inherent in adopting a strategy of unbridled industrialisation in a labour surplus economy have been clearly brought out. An attempt has been made by the GIDS to address these relevant issues in Uttar Pradesh, for which they deserve our appreciation. The Institute could consider taking up such exercises in the other BIMARU States, which could help in policy formulation for overall development.
The study has considerable importance and is of immense practical value. Academicians belonging to all disciplines, policy-makers, developmental planners, administrations and practitioners of development policy besides students and research scholars should find this compendium very useful.
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